Stephanie Austin

Stephanie Austin is Administrative Associate for Research Development at the University of Arizona. She provides overarching administrative support to the teams responsible for operations, proposals, and honors and awards and serves as building manager and emergency coordinator. Stephanie brings experience in bank management and K-12 administration and is a certified substitute teacher. She is a valued, long-term volunteer for the Flowing Wells School District—instrumental in bolstering the district’s fine arts department, supporting the Band and Pom Lines, and serving as president for the band parent organization. When not propelling university research endeavors toward success, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her two grown children and nieces and nephews and playing stand-up bass in small gigs around Tucson.

Meg Bennett, PhD

Meg Bennett is a Research Development Associate specializing in bioscience proposal support. She has a Ph.D. in Zoology from North Dakota State University and spent 5 years as an independent postdoctoral scientist. Collectively, she has 15 years of experience in research as a behavioral physiologist studying both native and agriculturally managed bee species. Over the course of Meg’s career, she obtained 10 grants to fund her research sourced from academic, government, and non-profit institutions. Meg also draws from her unique skill set as an artist to help faculty develop creative and compelling proposal narratives. 

Nate Gahr

Nate Gahr is Senior Director for National Security Programs at the University of Arizona, aiding faculty as they pursue external funding for fundamental research related to national security. Nate spent more than 25 years in leadership in the US Army, Department of Justice, and US Intelligence community. He established the Counterintelligence Joint Task Force for the FBI Phoenix Field Office, leading a diverse team from numerous federal, state, and local agencies along with community partners to protect national security interests throughout Arizona. Nate has steered numerous national security efforts, focusing on advanced conventional weapons and WMD counterproliferation.

Leslie Hawthorne Klingler, MA

Leslie Hawthorne Klingler is the Content Developer for Research Development at the University of Arizona. She employs her writing, photography, and design skills to translate technical material into pieces that persuade broader audiences to support cutting-edge research and innovation at the university. She inspires and mobilizes groups to experience firsthand the value of improving health and well-being, particularly among the disadvantaged. Her experience includes a master’s degree, years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and six years living and working in Latin America. Fluent in Spanish, she appreciates Tucson’s proximity to Mexico.

Terrence Higgins

Terrence Higgins is the SkillBridge and Workforce Development administrator for the National Security Program in Research Development Services at the University of Arizona. As the university’s single point of contact for the Department of Defense SkillBridge program, he works with military service members transitioning to the civilian sector and university personnel seeking SkillBridge participants. In addition to facilitating matches that meet service members’ interests and university needs, Terrence promotes the SkillBridge program on campus and helps students and faculty secure positions and research collaborations at National Research Laboratories. Terry is a United States Army veteran with more than 20 years of experience in organizational leadership and training. His most recent position was Command Inspector General at Fort Carson, Colorado.

Nathan Hogan

Nathan Hogan is Research Associate for the National Security Program, Research Development. Prior to joining the university, Nathan served more than 25 years in security and intelligence roles in the US Air Force, US Army, and as a defense contractor. His last position was a Team Lead with Titania Solutions Group, Inc., designing immersive alternative future scenarios based on current global trends for the US Army Intelligence Center, as well as advising on joint and combined training environments for other DoD services and allied partners. He previously served on the committee for UArizona College of Humanities Thunder of War – Winds of Return veteran experience project. Nathan received his Ph.D. in mythological studies with emphasis in depth psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute.

Lidia Macias, MS, MA

Lidia Macias is Coordinator of Research Development Operations for Research Development at the University of Arizona. She has collaborated in large-scale, interdisciplinary, multi-institutional, and international research initiatives and has pre- and post-award experience with federal and state agencies, private foundations, and corporations. She is experienced in proposal development and creating impact strategies for research development. Before coming to the University of Arizona, she coordinated institutional and limited submissions for an R01 institution and participated in policy review related to research misconduct and unwanted foreign influence. Lidia holds a B.S. in psychology, B.A. in philosophy, M.S. in experimental psychology, and M.A. in Spanish and Latin American Literature. Her research areas include national identity, otherness, soft and intellectual power, critical theory, and intellectual history, focusing on contemporary Spanish literature.

Cody Nicholls, PhD

Cody Nicholls is Associate Director of National Security Programs at the University of Arizona. In this role, he supports faculty in pursuit of external funding (federal, foundation, industry) for fundamental research programs supporting national security topics, issues and challenges, Defense, Intelligence and Homeland Security-related discovery and innovation. Previously he served for just under 9 years as the Assistant Dean of Students for Military and Veteran Engagement at the University of Arizona. Cody is a nine-and-a-half-year veteran of the Army Reserves and Wyoming National Guard. During his tenure in the Reserves he completed two deployments to the Middle East, Iraq (2004-2005) & Kuwait (2008-2009) and one stateside mobilization, in the National Guard, immediately following 9/11 (2001-2002). Cody currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Southern Arizona Defense Alliance. Additionally, he currently serves on Congressman Juan Ciscomani’s veteran advisory council. Cody previously served on retired U.S. Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick and U.S. Senator Jeff Flake’s (AZ) military and veteran advisory councils.  Cody previously served as the Secretary for the Board of Directors of the Tucson Committee on Foreign Relations. Cody served as the National Co-Chair for the NASPA Veterans Knowledge Community with his term of service March 2018 – March 2020. Cody received the “Super Et Ultra” Award from the Veterans Knowledge Community for going “above and beyond'' in his service to his fellow veterans in February of 2019. Cody earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education with a major concentration in Organization & Administration from the College of Education and a minor concentration in Entrepreneurship from the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona.

Lindsay Ridpath

Lindsay Ridpath is Program Manager for Industry Engagement for Research Development at the University of Arizona. She supports the procurement of industry research sponsorships, collaborates with industry on federal proposals, and aids in securing student fellowships and internships. She employs her expertise in content creation for social media and web platforms to promote UArizona faculty, facilities, and other resources to potential collaborators. Lindsay has an MFA, is an RD mentee with the National Organization for Research Development Professionals (NORDP), and holds a Certified Associate for Project Management (CAPM) certification.

Paul Sandoval

Paul Sandoval is Director of Research Advancement, Research Development at the University of Arizona. He extracts, processes, analyzes, and leverages data for administrators and managers at the university’s Office of Research, Innovation & Impact. With a bachelor’s degree in business administration, he brings over 30 years of post-award experience from Sponsored Projects Services.

Genesis Villalobos

Genesis is a SkillBridge Intern for Research Development Services. After serving four years as a combat medic stationed in Hawaii, she is completing her undergraduate degree in organizational management with a focus on project management. She is glad to be building on the communication, leadership, time-management, and problem-solving skills that she acquired during her military service career.